For insomnia. However they want to give me 15mg capsules, they gave me some, and I was wondering if I can half them, to see if a lower dose will be enough for me? I don't really want to tae such a high dose of a new drug to start out with!

anyone who knows, please let me know, I'm kind of scared to try to half them because I don't know if they're time release. They're two-toned and the prescription is for "temazepam 15 mg capsules" that's all the bottle said.

SuzzanneX

09-19-08, 06:57 AM

TEMAZEPAM is a benzodiazepine. It is used to help you to fall asleep and sleep through the night. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

What should I tell my health care providers before I take this medicine? (Back to top)
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

an alcohol or drug abuse problem
bipolar disorder, depression, psychosis or other mental health condition
kidney disease
liver disease
lung or breathing disease
myasthenia gravis
Parkinson's disease
porphyria
seizures or a history of seizures
suicidal thoughts
an unusual or allergic reaction to temazepam, other benzodiazepines, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
pregnant or trying to get pregnant
breast-feeding

How should I use this medicine? (Back to top)
Take this medicine by mouth. It is only for use at bedtime. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the tablets or capsules with a drink of water. If it upsets your stomach, take it with food or milk. Do not take your medicine more often than directed. Do not stop taking except on the advice of your doctor or health care professional.

A special MedGuide will be given to you by the pharmacist with each prescription and refill. Be sure to read this information carefully each time.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.

Note: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

What if I miss a dose? (Back to top)
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

What may interact with this medicine? (Back to top)

barbiturate medicines for inducing sleep or treating seizures, like phenobarbital
herbal or dietary supplements, like kava kava, melatonin, or valerian
medicines for anxiety or sleeping problems, like alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam or triazolam
medicines for depression, mental problems or psychiatric disturbances
phenytoin
prescription pain medicines
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care providers a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

What side effects may I notice from this medicine? (Back to top)
Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
dizziness, drowsiness
headache
increased dreaming
nausea, vomiting
This list may not describe all possible side effects.

What should I watch for while using this medicine? (Back to top)
Visit your doctor or health care professional for regular checks on your progress. This medicine is for short-term periods of use. If sleep medicine is taken every night for a long time it may no longer help you to sleep. Your body can become dependent on this medicine, ask your doctor or health care professional if you still need to take it. However, if you have been taking this medicine regularly for some time, do not suddenly stop taking it. You must gradually reduce the dose or you may get severe side effects. Ask your doctor or health care professional for advice.

Do not take this medicine unless you are able to get a full night's sleep before you must be active again. You may not be able to remember things that you do in the hours after you take this medicine. Some people have reported driving, making phone calls, or preparing and eating food while asleep after taking sleep medicine. Take this medicine right before going to sleep. Tell your doctor if you are have any problems with your memory.

You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medicine affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may interfere with the effect of this medicine. Avoid alcoholic drinks.

Do not treat yourself for coughs, colds or allergies without asking your doctor or health care professional for advice.

Where should I keep this medicine? (Back to top)
Keep out of the reach of children. This medicine can be abused. Keep your medicine in a safe place to protect it from theft. Do not share this medicine with anyone. Selling or giving away this medicine is dangerous and against the law.

NOTE: This sheet is a summary. It may not cover all possible information. If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.

reesah

09-19-08, 01:24 PM

thanks suzanne, that was all the same information from the drugs website that I had read earlier.

I needed to know if these caps could be cut in half or if that would be dangerous in some way. I want to try a lower dose to make sure I can stand the medication, before I take a whole capsule.

Contrapunctus

09-19-08, 01:40 PM

Capsules cannot be "cut" in half because they contain powder. You could potentially empty them out and take only half the powder, but this is very inaccurate unless you have a precise scale (and it also assumes a perfectly homogeneous mix of fillers and actives).

Temazepam is one of the less potent benzodiazepines, so 15mg is actually quite a low dose. Ambien is rather potent, so 10mg could be considered a higher dose than 15mg of temazepam (they do have somewhat different mechanisms of action, so an accurate comparison is difficult to make).

I do not think you will find the 15mg of temazepam to be excessive, and obviously, neither does your physician. It is generally well-tolerated and you should not find it to be overly sedating (especially if you are used to the Ambien). Keep in mind, temazepam lasts longer than Ambien, so you may need to take it earlier. It is also not as fast-acting as Ambien.

DesertDave

09-19-08, 04:16 PM

I am always wary of how I'm going to handle a new medication, too. I do the same thing - take a little and see what happens (depending on what the drug is, of course).

When I tried Strattera, I slid the capsule open and dumped it out on a sheet of slick paper that had a crease thru it. Then took a knife and made an even strip of it. Then divided it in the middle. I knew I couldn't get it back in the little capsule so I stuck it to a knife with peanut butter on it. LOL Hey it worked and was a close enough division for me to make sure it was OK for me.

I couldn't find your med listed in a time-release form. It's described as a white crystalline substance, so if that's what you get when you open it, it's probably just the drug itself. I'd go for it. Or call a pharmacist.

A friend of mine took Ambien. It worked for him, but caused him to be a total space case. He couldn't remember what happened the previous day. He couldn't remember conversations we'd had the day before. He forgot dentist appointments even when they called to remind him the same day. His Dr switched him to Lunesta and those bizarre things went away.

Contrapunctus

09-19-08, 04:46 PM

Temazepam is not made in a time-release form as it already has a long half-life. The capsules contain the 15mg of temazepam which is likely mixed in with alot of inert materials (fillers). The contents are not in "bead" form like dexedrine spansules, so it is a bit harder to split up. If you want to be more precise, you can use graph paper to help you split up the powder more accurately (shake up the capsule well, spread the contents in a consistent layer over X amount of squares, and then take half of those "boxes"). This is still far from precise, as you will not be sure on exactly how much you are getting.

If 7.5mg works for you, ask your doctor to write you a prescription for the 7.5mg capsules, as I am pretty certain they come in that dosage.

reesah

09-20-08, 04:12 AM

I usually take half of a 10mg tablet of ambien. So I was afraid these might be too strong. I'll split one in half, the powder. Thanks everyone for helping me out

(they're trying me on it because the ambien makes me sleepy the next day.)

DesertDave

09-20-08, 05:23 PM

If that doesn't work, I can tell you what works for me. Just ask.

reesah

09-23-08, 09:03 AM

Spoke with thedoctor, they can be split, by opening the capsule and dividing the powder into two oral doses. also the dr told me that the 15mg is intended for sleep only, but that if I was experiencing anxiety or was frustrated that a half-dose may help without making me drowsy.
funny how my cardiologist is the only dr I've seen who seems to want to help my mental state!

edited because i forgot to add I just took my first dose; I just took the whole pill. I do not work tomorrow so it seemed like good timing, I'll report back tomorrow and let you know how it went, thanks everyone for all the information!

reesah

09-24-08, 04:28 AM

I was groggy for the first few hours this morning after I woke up but this is the usualy routine for me, so probably wasn't from the pill.

I couldn't eat breakfast though and felt a little woozy until around lunchtime. I think maybe tomorrow morning I will take a sliver of dramamine when I wake up to help with that. Otherwise these worked so far, I fell asleep about half an hour after I took it and slept right through with normal dreams.

meadd823

09-26-08, 09:41 PM

If 7.5mg works for you, ask your doctor to write you a prescription for the 7.5mg capsules, as I am pretty certain they come in that dosage

To my knowledge Restoril comes in 15mg and 30mg capsules - all of which are immediate release The powder doesn't really have much of a taste so opening the capsule and consuming the powder shouldn't be to bad.

I was on this medication for a while.

I have a fast metabolism and needed at least 7-8 hours of sleep if I wanted to remember the first two hours I was awake. Normally I sleep 5-6 hours - seven now that I am older.

The medication did cause a slight "drag" in the morning but it didn't last very long - maybe 30 minutes - until I could consume a couple of cups of coffee. I also tend to drag **** in the morning myself so it was also hard for me to tell if it is a hang over from the medication or just a normal state of waking up . . . . .

I quit taking it because I built up a tolerance to it rapidly - not every one does but I was one of those who did.

reesah

09-27-08, 04:26 AM

I've only needed once or twice. I tried half a capsule (opened it and just dumped the powder out, put half back in and threw the rest away) to start with, but since it wasn't too bad I am now taking the full dose they prescribed if I can't fall asleep.

I just wanted to try a smaller dose to start with and make sure it wouldn't be too strong or make me sick.